reckless | mgc

one

To be completely honest, Michael Clifford was nothing more than a wanna-be bad ass with an attitude to match. Leather jackets and ripped skinny jeans lined his closet and eyeliner was penciled onto his waterline. He was intimidating, mysterious, and dangerous. Every girl in the whole school wanted him. Clifford had a vibe that made people clear the halls when he walked down them, and he knew it. He loved being large and in charge; it made up for his terrible reputation with the teachers and it was the only thing that ever made him feel important. Everyone was quite intimidated by Michael Clifford, except one girl. Addy Ellis. Every time the hall cleared, she didn't; simply brushed past his shoulder, annoyed. Why was he such a big deal anyway? He was a total dick, in her opinion. Michael noticed her when he walked, though. Hell, who was he kidding? She was the only one he saw in a room full of people, and that drove him absolutely crazy. Clifford had fucked a lot of girls in his life, like, more than he could count on all his fingers and toes. Don't get him wrong, he'd totally do Addy the first chance he got, but he kind of wanted to get to know her first.

-

Parties really weren't Addy's thing, but somehow she had allowed her best friend to drag her to a house where the music was so loud and the lights were so bright you couldn't hear yourself think. Addy's best friend was party animal of the year, Calum Hood. He couldn't resist a kick ass house party, which is what made him so popular at school. If there was a party anywhere within a one hundred mile radius of their city, you could bet your entire life savings that Calum Hood would be there drinking himself silly and dancing to trashy music on top of the table. Normally she just stood quiet and unnoticed in the corner the whole night (which she totally didn't mind) with her other friends while Cal got completely wasted, but tonight was different. Her other friend couldn't make it because she was sick and it was Addy's seventeenth birthday, so Calum had been determined to get her out for a good time. The only problem was that this was his idea of a good time, not hers. She'd been dancing awkwardly between sweaty bodies and spilled beer for the past hour and a half, but had only managed to become slightly intoxicated. Meanwhile, Hood was so drunk he couldn't see past his own nose. It was sort of awful.

Addy also hated alcohol. She hated the taste, which resembled something like stale attic water. She hated how it changed people and how it shifted their mindset. It didn't scare her; it just made her uncomfortable. She hated how it smelled and she hated how many people depend on it. She glanced down into her plastic cup that was still exactly as full as it was when it was handed to her and had to look away. Setting it down gently on the cluttered table, Addy decided to try and find Calum.

"Excuse me, excuse me," she repeated loudly, starting to get annoyed more than anything at the drunken strangers mingling around her. It was hot and sweaty and there were people she knew making out in the corner of the room. The music was blasting so loud she was pretty sure you could've heard it all the way in the next state, and the floor was littered with red solo cups, empty chip bags and someone's shoe. Suddenly, between the feeling of strangers grinding on her and the music pounding in her ears, Addy felt a hand go around her waste.

"Hey babe," the stranger said into her ear, his hot breath fanning across her neck and smelling terribly strong of vodka and cigarettes. "Wanna go upstairs and have a little fun? Heard there's a waterbed in the master bedroom, that'd be some crazy shit."

She looked up startled, only to lock eyes with the dickhead from her grade, Michael Gordon Clifford. He gave her a sickening smirk and winked; she almost threw up. Addy pulled herself quickly out of his grip, honestly hoping Calum would come save her, even though she knew that he wouldn't. He reached out for her wrist but she pulled away, quickly weaving through the drunk guys and girls out the back door and into the cool, dark street that only gave off the streetlight. Seconds later, Clifford waltzed out the same door, letting out a laugh. Addy wasn't scared, just a little disgusted and annoyed. She knew he'd never hurt her, but that didn't stop her from being bothered by all of it.

"Oh, come on! What's wrong? Never had sex on a water bed before? It's really fun, trust me," he said, smirking at her. His eyes were shining, even in the dark. She knew what he was trying to do; it wasn't anything new. Michael Clifford had nearly had sex with every girl in the entire grade, and everyone knew it. Addy had managed to stay out of his path, though, until now.

"You're disgusting, Michael. And please don't put that image in my head, oh my god," she spat back. All she wanted was for Calum to be sober so she could grab him and go home.

"So you know my name," he said quietly, taking a step closer to her. She took a step back. "That must mean we're meant to be. Let's see if we really are," he winked, reaching out for her hand. She pulled it back, letting out a noise that was something equal to a frustrated groan.

"I'd never have sex with you, I barely know you! My parents would kill me, Jesus," she answered. Michael let out a bitter laugh and swung his arm around her shoulder.

"Addy, baby, listen. We all know you're probably into that shit." She almost laughed, until she realized he'd said her name.

"How the hell do you know my name?" she asked, getting really annoyed at this point.

"Everyone does, Ellis. Your parents are like, the richest assholes on the planet," he said simply.

"Michael, what the hell would you know about me? Nevermind. Making me feel like a washed up good girl isn't going to change my mind. I'm not fucking you drunk on a water bed upstairs while a hundred and fifty people could walk in at any moment. Not tonight, Clifford," she laughed. He really wasn't bad, just kind of disgusting and persistant.

"Not tonight, huh? You just indirectly agreed to having sex with me later," he said in a cocky tone. She rolled her eyes before he pulled out a cigarette and lit it up, blowing smoke into the night.

"Really, Clifford? As if I thought you couldn't get any worse." Addy hated smoking; it was disgusting and money consuming. Michael just raised his eyebrows. It was quiet for a long time after that. Michael couldn't lie, he was confused. He was used to every girl jumping at the chance to be on top of him, why wasn't Addy all over him? He was hot, and he knew it. Every girl loved a bad ass, except for Addy, apparently.

"You're different," Michael said after a while, tossing his cigarette on the ground and crushing it under his black combat boot.

"How so?" she asked, tapping her foot impatiently on the sidewalk.

"You're the only girl I've ever met who's turned me down for sex on a waterbed," Michael laughed. Addy smiled a little, opening her mouth before she was cut off.

"Can I ask you a question?" Michael said. She nodded quickly, her heart jumping into her throat. "How many guys have you kissed?" Addy swallowed hard, debating whether or not to lie to him. She decided to tell him the truth.

"Honestly," she said. "Like, two." Michael laughed loudly, turning to face her. He was holding his phone in his hand, his thumb hovering reluctantly over the contacts app while he decided what to do next.

"You've got to be kidding me. You're seventeen years old and hot, like really really hot, you can't have only kissed two guys in your whole life." Addy's cheeks turned pink, even though she knew he couldn't see it in the darkness. She had to admit Michael was attractive, but intimidating.

"It's true!" she laughed uneasily, still trying to get over the fact that Michael thought she was hot. She was smarter than to believe him. Addy knew that he was only saying that to heighten his chances of getting her upstairs. "Boys just don't like me!" Michael smirked, leaning up against the side of the house and crossing his arms over his chest, locking his phone and deciding against asking for her number - that would've meant having to call her afterwards and he just wasn't up for it.

"I like you," he said softly. Addy rolled her eyes a little bit, knowing that what he said was definitely a lie. She knew he was attracted to her purely because he was drunk and horny, but something about the way he said it made her believe for a second that maybe he was being serious. She decided to stay quiet after that, looking down at her dirty converse as she kicked pebbles into the street.